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Missing My Mummy/Transcript
Leela's Request *'Leela:' Thank you. Al Kharid will forever owe you a debt for your help. In fact, I have something else I am working on, and you seem to have the first-hand knowledge of desert religions and burial rites to help me. Would you be interested in this quest? **'Player:' Yes, I am glad all my time wandering around pyramids was useful. Another quest seems just about right for me now. ***'Leela:' Well, I guess you want instructions then. I want you to head off to an ancient pyramid and talk to the inhabitant. ***'Player:' Sounds simple enough, if a less than complete description. Where is this pyramid situated and what sort of information do you want from the inhabitant? ***'Leela:' The pyramid we are after is on the coast, close to Userl in fact, it pre-dates Uzer, so is very ancient indeed. In those days, the pyramids did not have tops so are more properly called mastaba. We will stick with pyramid though, it is easier that way. ***'Player:' And the inhabitant? ***'Leela:' That could be more of a problem, I admit. The inhabitant I wish for you to contact is the mummy who was buried there, or whatever part of her turns out to be capable of communication. She is an ancient, wise Pharaoh Queen and I guess that she will be guarded in the usual fiendish ways. ***'Player:' How can you be sure that this mummy won't decide to dismember me? ***'Leela:' I do not think I ever mentioned that it would be totally safe, that is why I am offering a nice cash bounty for you if you can make satisfactory contact. You will find that I have enabled you to access some doors and passages that mere robbers would not be able to use, though, so it should be relatively easy where entry is concerned. ***'Player:' How can you be sure of that? ***'Leela:' Worry about it not – trust me when I say it has been sorted out. Enough chit-chat, though, you have a journey to make. **'Player:' I'd rather not be involved in another quest just now. ***'Leela:' Maybe later then. The Mastaba You're Not Welcome *'Golem's remains:' You should not be here, yet it is beyond my powers to evict you. *'Player:' I'm here to find the inhabitant of this pyramid, would that be you? *'Golem's remains:' That is not the case. The true inhabitant is the Pharaoh Queen on the lower level. You are denied access to her. The curse will protect where I have failed. **'Player:' Curse? What curse? ***'Golem's remains:' Those who spend time here will be cursed to live and not die though their flesh withers away. Only those welcomed by the Pharaoh Queen are immune to the curse. ***'Player:' So I'll turn into a skeleton, or something? This is terrible, no one warned me about this at all! ***'Golem's remains:' Only the Pharaoh Queen, her family and their direct employees are immune. Or those without flesh. You may hope you are classified in one of these categories. Go now, I have no more to say on the matter. **'Player:' What happened to you then? ***'Golem's remains:' Robbers like you assailed me with blunt weapons. I am physically destroyed. The curse claimed them as it will claim all. **'Player:' You aren't like the golems I met in Uzer. ***'Golem's remains:' Uzer is a small village of no importance. There are no golems stationed there. ***'Player:' Well, I certainly saw some there. They looked different and had keyholes in their heads. ***'Golem's remains:' I think your doom is upon you, for what you say makes you appear insane. ***'Player:' No, no, no. These were definitely golems just like you. Well, not quite like you, obviously, they could be given new orders through the holes in their heads after I repaired them. ***'Golem's remains:' Are you sure your mental faculties are not disturbed, mortal? Do you feel that your cerebral tissues are rotting within your skull? Perhaps you have the curse? **'Player:' I have nothing to say. ***'Golem's remains:' Your fate will be deservedly grisly. Searching the Mastaba *''It looks like the door is just a fake, with maybe symbolic purpose. Very little of the text makes any sense, but you manage to read some archaic script in language you understand – "Her eldest son it'' *''It looks like the door is just a fake, with maybe symbolic purpose. Very little of the text makes any sense, but you manage to read some archaic script in language you understand – "The follower of th'' *''It looks like the door is just a fake, with maybe symbolic purpose. Very little of the text makes any sense, but you manage to read some archaic script in language you understand – "An offering which'' *''This seems like the sort of evidence that Leela was after. I should talk to her now. '' The Next Step *'Leela:' Ah, you are back. Do you have any news of the pyramid and its inhabitant? *'Player:' I found a plain canopic jar. *'Leela:' Hmm, this is not a good sign, it suggests the pyramid has been at least partially looted. You had best get back there quickly before any more damage is done. Unless you have more evidence, that is. *'Player:' I found a journal too, which explains a few things. *'Leela:' That is quite vague. What exactly is in this journal? *'Player:' It seems the tomb robbers became trapped and succumbed to a curse. I am rather worried that the curse will affect me. *'Leela:' Trust me, you shall not be affected by the curse; you are not just there to loot so will be fine. It does lessen the chances that the place has been fully looted, though, so this is good news of sorts. *'Player:' Finally, I found a translated text. *'Leela:' Excellent, can I just look at that for a moment? *(Fade out/in) *'Leela:' Oh my, this does shed a whole new light on matters. It seems that the burial rituals performed on the Pharaoh Queen within the tomb will have split her up into various parts. You must reconstruct her presence before contact can be made properly. I am guessing that you will not have to totally reconstruct her, though. *'Player:' So what am I supposed to do next? How do I reconstruct a mummy? *'Leela:' The scroll mentions that body, body double, spirit, shadow, personality and name were each split up. You will have to look for ways to re-unite these with the Pharaoh Queen. **'Player:' Can you tell me about the body and body double? ***'Leela:' You need to gather all of the mummy's physical parts in order to complete the body. I imagine this means collecting the mummy and any canopic jars and replacing them in their original position. The canopic jars contain organs from the mummification process. ***'Player:' Yes, I know about canopic jars from my dealings with Icthlarin. What about the body double? ***'Leela:' The document you have states that the deceased was supplied with grave goods, which would be used to replace them in the hard labour required in the afterlife. ***'Player:' I'll have a read of it again, it sounds like the document has some potentially useful information. ***'Leela:' Indeed, was there anything else you wanted to discuss? **'Player:' What do you know about the spirit of the Pharaoh Queen? ***'Leela:' The text is quite vague here, referring to the desert deities as contributing to the spirit of the land. I can only suspect that you will need to ensure that any religious sites in the pyramid are suitable for communing with Tumeken and his cohorts. ***'Player:' Can't you be a bit more precise? ***'Leela:' The documents you supply were an academic study, not a manual for our work, I am afraid. Guesswork is the best you will be getting. ***'Player:' True, but I am ever hopeful that I'll be talking to someone with mystical knowledge beyond their apparent experience. Sometimes I've been lucky. ***'Leela:' Indeed, was there anything else you wanted to discuss? **'Player:' Personality and name? How can I find these? ***'Leela:' The name of the Pharaoh Queen will probably need to be her full, ceremonial name, which will doubles be written down somewhere. Similarly, there must be some record of how she spent her life, which would be a start as far as rebuilding some idea of her personality. ***'Player:' So, documents it is. No one would know already? ***'Leela:' The pyramid pre-dates even Uzer, and that is pretty ancient. My research showed up very little of any use, so I am led to believe that any documents were interred in the pyramid and have not yet been recovered or translated. ***'Player:' I'll see what I can find, then. ***'Leela:' Indeed, was there anything else you wanted to discuss? **'Player:' How can I reunite a shadow? ***'Leela:' I have no idea. ***'Player:' So you are totally in the dark on this? ***'Leela:' If that was a pun, you are not very funny. On the subject of shadow rebuilding, I know nothing much; no need to act as if you are any more informed. ***'Player:' I'll see what I can find, then. ***'Leela:' Indeed, was there anything else you wanted to discuss? **'Player:' I think I can deal with this myself. ***'Leela:' Farewell and good luck then. Restoring the Pharaoh Queen Ali's Papers Ali Morrisane *'Ali Morrisane:' Hello Player. How's the adventuring going? **'Player:' Hi, Ali. Not bad. How are you? **'Player:' I have some questions about a tomb. ***'Ali Morrisane:' Well, I'm not sure why you'd think I know anything about tombs, or tell you if I did. ***'Player:' I've come across a journal in the tomb in question – it's conclusive proof that you are organising the looting that's going on there. ***'Ali Morrisane:' What exactly do you need to know, then? **'Player:' I'm after ways to reunite the mummy in the pyramid. I need to know about the name or personality in particular. ***'Ali Morrisane:' The documents I sold to Reldo might help you with the personality side of things, I don't know, but the name I can certainly aid you with. I have a copy of Senliten's full, official name which I made from the original. ***'Player:' I can see where this is leading. What's your price? ***'Ali Morrisane:' The official Osman has a great fascination with the juice of sq'irks, which I sense might lead to some profit for me. If you can hand over a glass of sq'irk juice, I'll pass over a copy. ***'Player:' What's the price for the original, by the way? ***'Ali Morrisane:' Oh, I don't think any human could persuade me to part with it. If you are willing to pay me for a copy, I consider keeping the original an investment. ***'Player:' Where should I obtain this juice? ***'Ali Morrisane:' There is a sorceress who lives in a tower to the south of here, within Al Kharid. You should talk to her, or her assistant. **'Player:' What exactly are your men after in the pyramid? ***'Ali Morrisane:' Loot. All they found was some old documents, so I sent them back for gold. ***'Player:' Can you tell me more about these documents? ***'Ali Morrisane:' Some I kept – they were quite decorative – some I sold to Reldo for translation as they were gibberish to me, and some I had scraped clean and used as fliers for the businesses of Al Kharid. I get a commission on that last deal, of course. ***'Player:' Well, they seem to be dead now. I think they fell victim to the pyramid's curse. ***'Ali Morrisane:' Perils of their job, I guess. I suppose it will save me wages, but the lack of loot is very distressing. ****'Player:' You certainly know how to run a business. *****'Ali Morrisane:' Indeed – no time for squeamishness when you need to make cash. I won't have a comfortable home if I act all soft-hearted. ****'Player:' How can you be so callous? *****'Ali Morrisane:' It's the case of me versus the world, you know? I'd rather they be dead than me starve, if it comes down to it. **'Player:' Did you know that your gear seems to break easily? ***'Ali Morrisane:' What makes you say this? ***'Player:' The pyramid is littered with broken gear, all AMCE stuff that you supplied. ***'Ali Morrisane:' The men I sent clearly ignored the instructions. I can't be held responsible. **'Player:' I can't think of anything sensible to ask. Osman's Obsession *'Osman:' Well done. A great rescue. I will remember you if I have anything dangerous to do. *'Player:' Is there anything with which I can help you with? *'Osman:' Actually, there is one thing you could do for me. *'Player:' And what would that be? *'Osman:' You could get me some sq'irk juice. **'Player:' Where am I meant to find sq'irks? ***'Osman:' There is a sorceress near the south-eastern edge of Al Kharid who grows them. Once upon a time, we considered each other friends. ***'Player:' What happened? ***'Osman:' We fell out, and now she won't give me any more fruit. ***'Player:' So all I have to do is ask her for some fruit for you? ***'Osman:' I doubt it will be that easy. She is not renowned for her generosity and is very secretive about her garden's location. ***'Player:' Oh come on, it should be easy enough to find. ***'Osman:' Her garden has remained hidden even to me – the chief spy of Al Kharid. I believe her garden must be hidden by magical means. ***'Player:' This should be an interesting task. How many sq'irks do you want? ***'Osman:' I'll reward you for as many as you can get your hands on, but could you please squeeze the fruit into a glass first? ****'Player:' I've another question about sq'irks. *****'Osman:' What would you like to know? *****options ****'Player:' Thanks for the information. **'Player:' Why can't you get the sq'irks yourself? ***'Osman:' I may have mentioned that I had a falling out with the Sorceress. Well, unsurprisingly, she refuses to give me any more of her garden's produce. ****'Player:' I've another question about sq'irks. *****'Osman:' What would you like to know? *****options ****'Player:' Thanks for the information. **'Player:' How should I squeeze the fruits? ***'Osman:' Use a pestle and mortar to squeeze the sq'irks. Make sure you have an empty glass with you to collect the juice. ****'Player:' I've another question about sq'irks. *****'Osman:' What would you like to know? *****options ****'Player:' Thanks for the information. **'Player:' Is there a reward for getting these sq'irks? ***'Osman:' Of course there is. I am a generous man. I'll teach you the art of Thieving for your troubles. ***'Player:' How much training will you give? ***'Osman:' That depends on the quantity and ripeness of the sq'irks you put into the juice. ***'Player:' That sounds fair enough. ****'Player:' I've another question about sq'irks. *****'Osman:' What would you like to know? *****options ****'Player:' Thanks for the information. **'Player:' What's so good about sq'irk juice then? ***'Osman:' Ah it's sweet, sweet nectar for a thief or spy; it makes light fingers lighter, fleet feet flightier and comes in four different colours for those who are easily amused. ***''Osman starts salivating at the thought of sq'irk juice. '' ***'Player:' It wouldn't have addictive properties, would it? ***'Osman:' It only holds power over those with poor self-control, something which I have an abundance of. ***'Player:' I see. ****'Player:' I've another question about sq'irks. *****'Osman:' What would you like to know? *****options ****'Player:' Thanks for the information. It's Just Business *'Player:' I just happen to have a glass of Season sq'irk juice here, hand over the document! *'Ali Morrisane:' There you go, may it profit us both. *'Player:' I'm after ways to reunite the mummy in the pyramid. I need to know about the name or personality in particular. *'Ali Morrisane:' There were some documents I sold to Reldo that might help you with the personality side of things, I don't know. The name you have the copy of, but I guess I could part with the original – for a fee, of course. It's a very nice looking item though, you'd have to be more than humanly persuasive for me to part with it. *'Player:' (Persuade)I am sure no one else will ever need it, it's just taking space you could use for more profitable items. *'Ali Morrisane:' You are right, take the old thing away. Reldo *'Reldo:' Hello there, how can I help you today? **'Player:' I'd like to talk about a pyramid. ***'Reldo:' I'm afraid I'm a busy man. I can't just answer general questions, you know. ***'Player:' Ah, but I have reason to believe that you know about certain documents from this pyramid, the ones that Ali Morrisane sold to you. ***'Reldo:' Oh, sorry, those documents and that pyramid, yes, yes. ***'Player:' Great, I need this information pretty desperately, could I have them, please? ***'Reldo:' It's not quite that easy - firstly explain what you need exactly. ***'Player:' Well, I need to know about the name or personality of the Pharaoh Queen who inhabits the pyramid, so I can reconstruct her from her separate parts. ***'Reldo:' Well, that sounds fascinating and I'd love to help. The documents Ali Morrisane sold to me do indeed contain the information you seek. ***'Player:' What's the problem, then, you seem less than happy? ***'Reldo:' The documents appear to be a partial life history, which would go a long way to explaining the personality of this entity. If I can copy the document you can certainly have the original, but I need to be sure I am copying it correctly. In order to ensure that certain symbols are as they should be in my copies, I would require some other documents of the same period, in the same hand. ***'Player:' Would it matter if the documents were damaged? Ali mentioned that he made some into fliers, but he had the papyrus scraped clean first. ***'Reldo:' If you had one of those Al Kharidian flyers I can see what I can do in order to help with my studies. Do you happen to have one in your bags? ***'Player:' I certainly do, feel free to take a look. ***'Reldo:' Excellent, yes, this is certainly an example of a palimpsest. ***'Player:' A what? ***'Reldo:' A document where you can see several sets of writing on top of one another. Ali's cheap nature means the papyrus wasn't fully cleaned, so I can make out the writing below. This flier looks like it also contains a series of ritual praises for the Pharaoh Queen. ***'Player:' Is this good? ***'Reldo:' It is great, not only have I some additional script to work with, but my initial copies were accurate. You may take the original if it is of use to you, with my thanks. ***'Player:' Many thanks, Reldo. **'Player:' I'd like to talk about something else. The Pharaoh Queen *'Pharoah Queen:' Greetings, traveller. *'Player:' Greetings, your Majesty. Is this papyrus of any use to you? *'Pharoah Queen:' Yes indeed, this reminds me of my name, although I can tell there is much wrong in this version. *'Player:' I also have this papyrus, even better than the last. *'Pharoah Queen:' Yes indeed, this reminds me of my name, this version seems perfect. *'Player:' Furthermore, is this scroll of any use to you? *'Pharoah Queen:' Yes indeed, this reminds me of my personality and deeds. I thank you for this gift. **'Player:' Can I talk to you about your reconstruction? ***'Pharoah Queen:' I am anxious to converse with the one who sent you and see why she seeks my wisdom. What is it you wish to work upon? ****'Player:' Can you tell me about the body and body double? *****(If body is fully restored) ******'Pharoah Queen:' My body is restored fully, there is nothing more you can do. *****(If body double is incomplete) ******'Pharoah Queen:' By restoring all of my grave goods, my body double will be able to replace me in the afterlife so that I may concentrate upon the realm of the living. You must restore the statue of me, the ushabti, to its former glory. You must also replenish the spiced wine and the pot of wheat, and repair my furniture. When all of this is done, you will have served well. ****'Player:' What would you know about bolstering your spirit? ****'Player:' Personality and name? How can I find these? *****(If name is incomplete) ******'Pharoah Queen:' My use-name, Senliten, is not the full name that identifies me in the great scheme. This name was written upon a papyrus on the upper level of this tomb. You must recover this and return it to me or its contents in order to give me a sense of my place in the cosmos. *****(If personality is incomplete) ******'Pharoah Queen:' The deeds of my life are forgotten with the passing of years. These deeds were written upon a papyrus on the upper level of this tomb. You must recover this and return it to me or its contents in order to remind me what I once was. ****'Player:' How can I reunite your shadow? ****'Player:' I think I can deal with this myself. *****'Pharoah Queen:' Tread softly in the land of the living. **'Player:' Can I talk to you about Leela? ***'Pharoah Queen:' I have no memory of such a name. ***'Player:' She is the one who sent me here to make contact with you. ***'Pharoah Queen:' I am glad to be remembered. The solitude of the centuries weighs heavily upon the bearing of a Queen. **'Player:' Can I talk to you about the tomb robbers? **'Player:' Can I talk to you about history? **'Player:' I have nothing more to say. Mission Accomplished *'Player:' I have reconstructed the Pharaoh Queen; my task is done. *'Leela:' That you have, she contacted me in a vision and seems most lucid. The information she will be able to impart will be of incalculable value. As promised, there is a reward for you. Transcript